Which one?

I saw this on facebook this morning and thought it would be a fun question to ask...


If you could have a nanny, a housekeeper or a personal chef which one would you pick and why?

I'm not sure which one I'd pick....its a tough question.

Right now, Luca has been sick for 4 days. I'm working all week and Chris works, so we have had a bit of a dilemma.

If I give up my sub days to stay home, I lose all the days I am booked for because they want the same teacher in for all the days for continuity. If I gave up all 5 days, I would lose more money than I usually make in a month. Plus, it reflects badly on my part to have to cancel sub days, especially when the teacher requested me specifically.

Chris took 2 days to stay home, but to take a third day, he needs a doctor's note. Things are still up in the air for tomorrow and Friday. Its been a stressful week, and Murphy's Law states that

Luca would become sick for days on end during the worst possible week.

So, for this week, I would choose a Nanny. Then there wouldn't be the stress of trying to juggle childcare. I would know that I could leave Luca and Levi at home with the nanny and not worry.

However, I definitely don't need a nanny full time. I like to be the mommy.

A housekeeper... Who wouldn't love to have someone else do the cleaning and laundry? That is what I most often fall behind on, so it would be great to have someone do that for me. But, I know I would be embarrassed about the mess, so I would tidy before the housekeeper came so she wouldn't judge me. Kinda defeats the point.

A Personal Chef....this would be my last choice because I actually don't mind doing the cooking. It would be nice to have some new meal ideas and have someone ensure that they are healthy, balanced meals. Since I do a monthly meal plan, I don't find making supper as stressful as I used to. It used to be that suddenly it was 4 in teh afternoon and I would stress about finding something to make for supper. Now I don't have that stress. I look at the calendar and know what to make. I also TRY to have some variation in the meals we eat and I do my best to ensure that we have balanced meals.

What would be your pick and why?

If I Had my Child To Raise Over Again

After reading my last post, one of my Aunts sent me this poem. I love it and am going to print it out and hang it somewhere that I can see it every day to remind myself to worry less about the house and more about having fun with my kids.

Thanks Auntie Leigh!


If I Had my Child To Raise Over Again

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars,
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often,
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd model less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.


--Diana Loomans

The Other Mothers

Wow, two posts in one day, almost a new record for me!

I came across this on another blog that I read and it struck me as so true, and exactly what I needed right now as I sit here in my yoga pants, dirty hair pulled into a ponytail, and no sign of supper on the go and it it 4:30pm.

This article reminded me that I don't have to try to be supermom, that I can't do everything and that sometimes I need to just throw my hands up in the air and say "you know what? I didn't vacuum today or do the laundry or even make supper." We'll go out for supper and the floors will stay dirty for another day, but I spent the day with my kids. We colored, we sprayed the snow and we pretended to drive a firetruck in our basement. That's what being a mom is all about.

I sometimes let myself forget that and get lost in the idea that I have to have a perfectly clean house, fresh baking cooling on the counter and perfectly behaved children. I'm trying to give myself permission to just play with my boys and not worry about all the other stuff. They are only little for a short time and I don't want to look back and regret not painting with them or playing playdough (even though I can't stand the mess it makes!).

Read the great article The Other Mothers by Allyson Reynolds and come back and tell me this:

What do you find you compare yourself to other mothers about? What do you do to remind yourself that you don't have to be Supermom?

Friday Night Leftovers

• Last weekend Dee and I went to Camrose for a Stella and Dot party that Dee was doing (she's a S&D stylist) for her old roommate. We decided a while ago that it would be fun to have a "roomie reunion"- her and her roomie and me and mine. Both of our roommates still live in Camrose, so it was easy to arrange. Dee and Trina lived directly across the hall from Laura and I in our first year at Augustana 12 years ago!! The four of us had some good times that first year. While I have kept in regular contact with Laura, I hadn't seen Trina in years so it was a ton of fun to reminice and get caught up on our lives now. Dee and I also went with Laura to tour the new library and "central" building that was recently built on campus. So many changes but there were still so many memories tucked into every corner of that campus.

• I've been subbing a lot this month. I've been ignoring my twice a week "rule" and have taken some stretches in the same classroom for 3 or more days. Its easy to do when those stretches of days are in my favorite places- a stretch of 3 days in kindergarten and another stretch of 5 days at the Virtual School. I'm looking forward to a nice paycheque after this month!

• The sun has been shining the past few days and we are all getting Spring Fever! The boys are still loving to go out and spray the snow, and with the warmer weather they are staying out even longer, just coming into the house for refills on their colored water. I even had the windows open the other day and the cool but fresh breeze was so welcome and refreshing!

• I've got some events coming up that I am hoping will help to promote my doula business. A few "trade shows" of sorts and a speaking opportunity at a prenatal class. I'm really hoping that I will get some clients and contacts out of these events and that I can get my business growing. I absolutely love being a doula and its hard to not get frustrated when I haven't got clients lined up, but I'm trying to stay positive and remind myself that building a business and client base take time and I need to be patient.

• I'm working on a new project for our library board and I am so excited about it. I got the idea when we were visiting the Augustana library last weekend and decided then and there to get to work implementing it in Crossfield. This fall I am planning to have the first of many (hopefully) sessions of a Living Library. The concept is that rather than reading a memoir, someone (the "author") comes and tells their story. The audience (or "reader") then has the opportunity to ask questions and direct a discussion. Its an intimate and interactive way of hearing someone's unique story. I think that this will provide some more opportunities for people in our community to get out and participate in free events, as well as to connect people on a personal level when they share or hear their stories. If you have or know of someone who has an interesting and unique story to tell, please contact me! I'd love to hear from you! The Living Library concept is actually an international program that you can read about here.

• Happy Friday, everyone! The visit the host of this weekly blog event, go here!

Did You Know?

A really interesting video that I saw posted on facebook today. Really shows how our world is changing...at a pace we can hardly keep up with. I think that this was created in 2008 so it is probably fairly outdated in its stats already. But, it is interesting nonetheless...

Book List

I've been meaning to do this for a while, ever since some of my other friends began doing posts similar to this on their blogs.

I love to read and always have a book (or 2) on the go. I don't always get through them as quickly as I'd like due to work, kids and other commitments cutting into my reading time, but I do read quite a few books.

I'm going to try to do a monthly list of all the books I've read (good or not so good) but this post will be more like a collection of the best ones that I have read over the past few months.


Unbearable Lightness
by Portia de Rossi




I loved this book. It was difficult to read at parts but it was really well written and had such a powerful message. I saw Portia on Ellen and Oprah talking about her book and she chose not to have a co-author for this book because she wanted all the words to be her own. She only wanted her story to be told, not the story that another person thought would sound better. I was even more impressed with the book after hearing that. It is written so well and flows nicely.

To read an exerpt from this book, go here.


Left Neglected
by Lisa Genova

I loved this book as well. When I read Lisa Genova's first book Still Alice, I couldn't put it down. It was such an easy read with a unique subject and I wondered if her second book would meet my expectations. It absolutely did. I couldn't put this one down. Again, it was a unique topic and her writing style is so easy to lose yourself in. I definitely recommend this book.

Synopsis here.

The Doula Guide to Birth

by Ananda Lowe and Rachel Zimmerman

I actually read this one because I was looking for a good book to be part of a few giveaways I was taking part in for my doula business. I wanted something easy to read and understand, not something that read like a textbook. This book was that and more. It was written from the point of view of two women that are both mothers and doulas. I felt that they did a great job of explaining what it is that a doula does and how a doula contributes to the birth process, as well as giving some really useful and essential tips for couples to use during pregnancy and labour. This book was the one that I chose for my giveaways. If you are expecting or know someone who is, this is a great book.

Room

by Emma Donoghue

I read this book in November, shortly after it was released and before I had heard all the "buzz" about it. I was initially drawn to the cover (yes, I totally judge a book by its cover!) and then the topic definitely drew me in. Written from the point of view of a young boy who has been raised in a small shed his entire life while he and his mother are held captive by their abuser, it is the story of their life in their "room" and their plans for escape. I was mesmerized by not only the topic but the author's ability to draw me in and have me seeing the world through the eyes of a boy who has never left the confines of the shed. A fantastic read, highly recommended.


Synopsis here.




Look Again

by Lisa Scottoline

I'm not much of a mystery reader but this one attracted me just from the short synopsis. A woman discovers that her adopted son, who she thought was abandoned as an infant, was actually kidnapped and then abandoned by his kidnappers. When the adopted mother finds out that her son's birth parents are still desperately holding out hope that their son will be found, she has to wrestle with doing the right thing, even if it means losing her son. As a mother, I can't even imagine having to make the choice that would ultimately mean I would lose my child, but also can't imagine being the mother yearning for her child's return.

I really enjoyed this book and think that the ending will surprise you but leave you with a sense of closure.

Synopsis here.

A Vintage Affair

by Isobel Wolff

Another book that I was first initially attracted to the bright, fun cover. I loved this one. It was a great "chick lit" read, something I haven't been reading much of lately. I've been trying to expand my reading horizons and have purposefully been avoiding the "fluff" books that I was drawn to in the past. But, this was a welcome break and really easy to lose myself in the story.



If you are looking for a great "beach read", something that is purely entertainment, this is the book for you. It had a great story and was so easy to read. A perfect bathtub read or holiday read.



Synopsis here.



The Unexpected Son

by Siobhan Bantwal



I LOVED Shilpi Somaya Gowda's Secret Daughter (see my post here) and this one was similar in that it is set in India and is full of beautiful descriptions of the culture and scenery. While the title might seem like it would be similar to the story in Secret Daughter, it isn't. I loved that this book gave me a greater understanding of the Indian culture and allowed me to create some beautiful pictures in my mind of a place I've never been. It was a beautifully written book with a story that captured my interest. If you liked Secret Daughter, you'll like this one!



Synopsis here.




Rescue

by Anita Shreve


I gave this book to a friend as a birthday gift and eagerly waited for her to finish it and lend it to me. I thought it was a good read but not my favorite. I liked the point of view and the story and it was a nice, quick read. Good entertainment even though it didn't strike me as one of my favorites.



Synopsis here.



Testimony

by Anita Shreve



This is one of my current reads. I'm only a few chapters into this one but am enjoying it immensely. The first page really sucked me in and I can't wait to find out where this story takes me. I'll try to remember to update on my thoughts in my next book post.




Money Smart Mom
by Sarah Deveau

My other current read. The author is a business woman that lives in Airdrie. I know of her (our paths have crossed at a few events) and she recently spoke at MOPS on her book. I like that the book is from not only a Canadian perspective but a local perspective as well. She has some great tips and others that are just not for us, but overall I'm finding that its a worthwhile read. I'm hoping that once I finish the book and decide on which suggestions to implement I will have a whole post about it!

What are you reading these days? What is on your "must read" list right now?